Fig 2. Mean number of hemocytes in populations of three Drosophila species that had been selected for parasitoid resistance and controls.
The number of circulating hemocytes, the total number of hemocytes, and the number of sessile haemocytes under the dorsal cuticle. Hemocytes were counted in single 2nd instar larvae. Estimates of total hemocyte numbers were achieved by agitating larvae to disrupt sessile clusters of hemocytes into circulation prior to bleeding. The sessile hemocytes were counted in vivo by injecting E.coli BioParticles. These are fluoresce when phagocytosed by hemocytes, allowing the cells to be seen under the cuticle of live larvae. This was done in a separate experiment and at a different generation post-selection than the other data. Points are the mean number of hemocytes and bars are equal to 1 SE. The mean number of larvae contributing to each point on the plot is 145.